Well, I made it through my first week at college. I didn't think I was going to be able to before I got here, to be completely honest. Needless to say, things are much different than high school and whether you're a new first year like me or a freshman in high school I'm sure there's a lot of things you've learned or remember learning about first coming to school. Here's what I learned about college this week and what I think is important to remember if you're a nervous wreck like me going into things.
1. You're not the only one who has no idea what you're doing.
Just pretend like you actually do know what you're doing and nobody will question a thing.
2. My 8 AM class won't be so bad, I did have them every day in high school anyway...
Just... Just don't. You'll believe me after your first morning class on a Friday.
3. Making new friends isn't as hard as you thought.
Everyone just starting school barely knows anyone, so don't be worried about making friends your first week, just try introducing yourself to your neighbors, keep your door open when you're in your room, hang out in your rec room, and most importantly go to school hosted events! They might seem mundane but they're a great way to meet new people and can actually be pretty fun.
4. Buy water (or a reusable water bottle), and bring it everywhere
It might seem silly now, but I definitely took for granted how easy water was to get when I was at home. Don't end up like the guy above (basically me on the first day because I had no water bottles) and get some water.
5. Leave your room.
Grab the few friends I know you made on the first day or at orientation and go out! Go get some food, go to school hosted events, just walk around for a bit. You'll get yourself better acquainted with your campus and the type of people you're going to meet at college. It can be really fun to just sit at a table outside talking to your friends and people that pass by.
6. Learn where your classes are.
Bad jokes about TV shows aside, you should probably find out where ALL of your classes are. Don't end up like me who, when classes first rolled along, had to guess at approximately where I thought that the building I was supposed to be in maybe sort of kind of was on campus. Seriously, you won't regret it.
7. Don't drop that class you think might be boring.
Seriously! I have a two and a half hour long class called "helping skills in society" every Tuesday and I thought I was going to hate it just from the name of it. But I gave it a try and it turned out to be a decently interesting class. Go to one or two classes, most schools have a week or so period where you can drop and add classes, and if you still hate it after a few tried you should drop it then.
8. Call your mother and father.
They miss you. You were theirs for 18 years and the strongest connection you probably have in life is to your parents. Imagine if you lost your dog after owning it for a long time. Yeah. It would suck. CALL YOUR PARENTS!
9. The dining hall will grow on you.
I could't eat more than a few bites the first few meals but find some things you like, most places have a very large selection of things to choose from. You'll find some things you will be willing to eat eventually.
10. Your rec room can be the best thing if you need to escape your room for whatever reason.
You'll be feeling a sweet sense of relief if you just go down there and listen to music, play pool, do homework, whatever. It can be a perfect escape from all of the adult responsibilities you're running away from.
11. There will always be next weekend.
Don't put yourself into a shaky situation. The first weekend rush parties can be scary and dangerous sometimes. There will always be next weekend to have some fun, if that's what you like to do. And if you are the type of person who doesn't like that kind of stuff don't worry! There's still plenty of things to do on the weekend like school hosted events. Sign up for some of them and before you know it it'll be 11 PM on Saturday.
College can be scary. I was extremely nervous before it started. Honestly I could write a list of 100 things to do on your first weekend or week, but I think that would detract from the overall idea of college. Everyone's experience is going to be different. The things I thought were most important might not even be applicable to some people. I guess the most important thing on this list should be this, then:
12. Do what you love.
The world is yours. You're in the big bad world of college now, preparing yourself for the world ahead. Do the things you love to do and make a good time of it. College isn't just school, it's so much more. It's your entertainment, your friends, and most importantly it's your new home.
